CUT TO THE CHASE: Swarovski has teamed with Maison Martin Margiela on a collection of couture and ready-to-wear jewelry pieces made from Crystalactite, a material that fuses crystal and matte white resin.

The Maison Martin Margiela couture show in Paris on July 3 featured pieces from the higher-end collection, due to go on sale in November. They will be priced at around 1,000 euros, or $1,285 at current exchange, for a bracelet and around 800 euros, or $1,025, for a pendant, said Nadja Swarovski, member of the Swarovski executive board.

A three-piece Maison Martin Margiela for Atelier Swarovski line will be available for around half the price, she added, noting it was the first time that Atelier Swarovski was launching a co-branded product with a fashion label, after collaborations with designers including Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab.

“It’s really important for us to embrace the vision of the designers and then try to turn that into reality with our products,” Swarovski told WWD.

RELATED STORY: Couture Jewelry Becoming Everyday Pleasure >>

Four years in the making, Crystalactite fused the crystal and resin during the production process so that they form a single smooth block, which is then cut into stalactite shapes. The resulting pieces combine the clarity of crystal with Margiela’s raw industrial aesthetic.

“To me, these pieces are real works of art, and it certainly is a breakthrough for us in terms of our product development,” said Swarovski. “A lot of people see us as a crystal manufacturer, which is true, but actually our strength is in master cutting.”

The pieces will go on sale in about 130 Atelier Swarovski points of sale worldwide, in addition to an unspecified number of Maison Martin Margiela stores. It marks the beginning of an ongoing relationship between the two houses, which will launch a wider commercial range for Atelier Swarovski for spring 2014.